19 February 2015

2015 NFL Mock Draft: 5th Edition

(USATSI)

The 2015 NFL Scouting Combine is underway in the Circle City. We could see a good amount of shifting in the first mock drafts after the conclusion of the action in Indianapolis but for now, here's my fifth mock draft on the year.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jameis Winston, QB, Florida StateWhile you could see Leonard Williams in the mix for the top overall pick, it seems like a likelihood that the Buccaneers will be fishing for a quarterback with this pick. Their decision-making will come down to the two past Heisman winners but I think they will go with Winston. Yes, we all know about Winston's handful of off-the-field issues but I think he is the superior quarterback prospect with a rare combination of pocket poise and athleticism. He does remind me of Ben Roethlisberger.

2. Tennessee Titans - Leonard Williams, DT, USCThe Titans could think that Zach Mettenberger is their guy but he really did not show all that much in his rookie campaign. That said after a truly miserable season across the board, the team may just go with the best player on their board. That player likely (although not certainly) would be Williams. Williams is an elite defensive line prospect who has the skill-set to play across the defensive line, allowing him to fit the schemes defensive coordinator Ray Horton will run.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, NebraskaI bet that the Jaguars would love to trade down and accumulate more assets but who knows if that will happen come draft time. This pick would likely come down to Gregory and Leonard Williams but while Williams is the superior prospect, the Jaguars seem pretty set at defensive tackle. Gregory fills more of a need as the team doesn't have much opposite an aging Chris Clemons.

4. Oakland Raiders - Amari Cooper, WR, AlabamaWith the top two defensive prospects off the board in Williams and Gregory, a Raiders club that is still lacking across the board likely will take the top prospect on the board and one that will give Derek Carr, who had a promising rookie season, some sorely needed weapons. Cooper should be able to make an impact right away and while he is not huge, he has the kinds you would like to see out of a number one wideout.

5. Washington - Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB, FloridaYou can never have too many pass rushers in the NFL and Washington could find themselves having to replace a pretty good one as Brian Orakpo will be a free agent. It is not certain what kind of defense new coordinator Joe Barry will run in Landover but it probably will be a scheme that will features some multiple elements, ideal for a versatile talent like Fowler. The speedy and physical Fowler seemingly lived in opposing backfields these past two years in Gainesville.

6. New York Jets - Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

New head coach Todd Bowles has no ties to quarterback Geno Smith and he has not made any commitment to Smith in his short time in Florham Park. I believe at this point that if he and the new front office have the opportunity to take one of the two top quarterback prospects in this draft (Winston and Mariota), I think they would pounce. Mariota may not be ready right away to play under center in the NFL but Chan Gailey, the new offensive coordinator, likes to run an offense with many spread concepts. Therefore, Mariota's impressive physical tools become too hard to ignore.

7. Chicago Bears - Danny Shelton, DT, WashingtonShelton moves surprisingly well for somebody of his size and he is very tough to block one-on-one, and with a strong performance at the Senior Bowl has seen his stock rise. He projects to be an excellent fit as a nose tackle in a 3-4 scheme and should be able to make an immediate impact at the position as the Bears, under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, are likely to move to a 3-4 defense.

8. Atlanta Falcons - Shane Ray, DE/OLB, MissouriIt is looking like all but a formality that Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will be the new head coach of the Falcons and look for him to bring a whole new defensive mindset to a team that has been a mess on that side of the ball. The Mizzou prospect will have to get stronger but his athleticism off the edge is tremendous. He looks like a good fit as a 3-4 outside pass rusher and would certainly give Quinn a fun weapon to use.

9. New York Giants - Landon Collins, S, AlabamaOne of the key free agents for the Giants offseason is Antrel Rolle and two of his fellow safeties, Steve Brown and Quintin Demps, are also on the open market as well. Even if they bring Rolle back to East Rutherford, they could really use further depth and certainly a talent like this Alabama product. Collins is the top defensive back in this draft and he is a player that can play either safety spot. He has the size and strength to play in the box but he can also be that center fielder.

10. St. Louis Rams - Brandon Scherff, T, IowaSt. Louis is a club that has invested many picks and money on their offensive line but they may still have a hole at the right tackle position should Joseph Barksdale leave via free agency. Scherff is a mauler that could also play other positions on the offensive line and he can help the Rams improve their running game as well.

11. Minnesota Vikings - DeVante Parker, WR, LouisvilleWith Teddy Bridgewater now the man in the Twin Cities, why not fill the need for more offensive weapons by bringing in a guy that Bridgewater is familiar with in Parker? Parker already is a really good route-runner, has excellent size and good hands. He also is one of those sneaky fast wideouts and what Bridgewater will love is that he is an excellent red zone target.

12. Cleveland Browns - Andrus Peat, T, StanfordIt looks like Cleveland will be a club that will focus early in the draft on both of the offensive and the defensive lines and there certainly are a handful of players at both spots that will help the cause. The Browns do already have a good offensive line but the weak spot is right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and he can be upgraded upon. Peat is a little raw and his tape is not all that impressive but there is no question that he has a high upside. He also has the ideal size and athleticism to excel on the edge of the offensive line and can turn into a very good left tackle down the line.

13. New Orleans Saints - Bud Dupree, DE, KentuckyThe Saints have not been all that great defensively in recent years but it really hit the fan in 2014 as they fell to the 31st overall ranking, and this was after an aggressive offseason aimed at improving the defense. New Orleans would certainly love to upgrade their pass rush and they have a number of options here to and the Kentucky product could very well be find himself headed down to the Big Easy. The former tight end still is raw but not only is extremely athletic, he was one of the elite pass rushers in the SEC (no small feat).

14. Miami Dolphins - Shaq Thompson, LB, WashingtonThompson may be a bit of a tweener in the NFL like he was for the Huskies where he played some safety and some linebacker (not to mention some running back as well) but he is an exciting playmaker regardless of where he plays. The Dolphins have built themselves a nice defense but they were also gashed on the ground many a time this past season so a guy with the athleticism and physicality that Thompson brings to the table could be very useful.

15. San Francisco 49ers - Kevin White, WR, West VirginiaColin Kaepernick clearly stagnated in his development in 2014, even going backwards at times. It will be key for Jim Tomsula to get more out of his quarterback and one way the team could try to do it is by upgrading a feeble receiving corps. White had a tremendous season for a surprising West Virginia team and his package of size and speed is ideal. He also knows how to get open, which any quarterback would love.

16. Houston Texans - Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan StateWhen Jadeveon Clowney gets healthy, he should pair with the elite J.J. Watt to form a dominant pass rush that will improve the Houston pass defense. However, Kareem Jackson is a free agent and even if they bring him back to town they could still use an upgrade in the secondary. Waynes is the top cornerback on the board and he is an aggressive playmaker with the ideal size you look for in a corner.

17. San Diego Chargers - T.J. Clemmings, T, PittsburghPhilip Rivers had a strong 2014 season, even generated some MVP buzz early, but he is not getting any younger and his lack of mobility could leave him as a bit of a sitting duck at times. King Dunlap and D.J. Fluker are solid tackles but both are better in the run game. Bringing in a raw talent like Clemmings can help their line as he could fine his craft in the interior before bouncing back outside. Clemmings is very athletic and long which should help him in pass protection.

18. Kansas City Chiefs - Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona StateIt really is unbelievable that the Chiefs had zero receiving touchdowns from their wideouts during the 2014 season. While Alex Smith and his mediocre arm plays a key role in that, what also has to factor in is that the Chiefs' receiving corps is far from impressive. Strong should be good in the red zone thanks to his size and his good hands. The ASU prospect is also deceptively quick.

19. Cleveland Browns (from Buffalo) - Malcom Brown, DT, TexasThe Browns were a disaster against the run this past season as they were statistically the worst team in the league in that category. The defensive line will be a big focus for Mike Pettine and the Cleveland front office and a guy like Brown would be a welcome addition, and not just due to his surname. Brown will a guy that Pettine can move around the line due to his quickness but with his size, he should be able to help control the run game.

20. Philadelphia Eagles - P.J. Williams, CB, Florida StateWith
Chip Kelly now calling the personnel shots in Philadelphia, will he be
privy to making a bold move up the draft board to select his former
quarterback in Eugene, Marcus Mariota? You certainly could not rule it
out but in the meantime, they could also use an upgrade at the
cornerback position given how much the Philadelphia pass defense
struggled last season. Williams has ideal size and speed for the
position and he should excel in press coverage right away.

21. Cincinnati Bengals - Ereck Flowers, T, Miami (FL)

The Bengals extended stalwart tackle Andrew Whitworth's contract through this upcoming season, but there is no word on what could be his future going forward. And even if they want to keep Whitworth in town for years to come, he will turn 34 late next season and his backup, Marshall Newhouse, is a free agent. It may make sense for the Bengals to have somebody waiting in the wings. Flowers has a lot of talent and showed flashes of it with the Canes this past season, and he could possibly play the interior line as well.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers - Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake ForestThe Steelers will have a new lieutenant running the defense after the franchise parted ways with the venerable Dick LeBeau, replacing him with linebackers coach Keith Butler. The pass rush was good as always but the secondary really looked like a mess at times and could certainly use an overhaul. Johnson would seem to be a very good fit in the Pittsburgh defensive scheme as he has the cover skills to play both zone and man.

23. Detroit Lions - Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida StateNick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh, a favorite of Packers fans, are both hitting the free agent market this offseason and one is likely to leave. That will leave void at a key spot for what was a fantastic Detroit defense under first-year coordinator Teryl Austin. Goldman may never be a double-digit sack guy but he has a nice combination of strength and quickness for a big guy. He is an excellent run stuffer and had a really nice season in Tallahassee.

24. Arizona Cardinals - Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, ClemsonThe Cardinals will certainly miss defensive coordinator Todd Bowles as he excelled at building strong, aggressive defenses even his unit was depleted by injuries. For a team with a strong secondary, upgrading an average pass rush could make the Arizona defense even more dangerous and they would love if a guy like Beasley fell to them. He is not all that long but he has more than enough quickness to get off the edge and push the pocket.

25. Carolina Panthers - La'el Collins, G/T, LSUCam Newton showed off plenty of toughness this season as he took a beating at times. His offensive line did perform as a unit much better down the stretch but was an abject trainwreck early in the season. A guy like Collins who can play both inside and outside would be useful. He will need to develop his pass protection skills but he is ready to maul in the run game at an NFL level.

26. Baltimore Ravens - Marcus Peters, CB, WashingtonConsidering he got kicked off the Washington team back in November after issues with assistant coaches, one can easily see why teams would skittish with Peters. But there is no question that the kid is talented, perhaps the most talented corner in this draft class. Baltimore has taken chances on problem guys before, plus their secondary could really use somebody with the cover skills like what Peters brings to the table.

27. Dallas Cowboys - Arik Armstead, DE, OregonRod Marinelli did a tremendous job with a defense that seemingly lacked in talent, and also struggled to pressure opposing quarterbacks. But smoke and mirrors can only go so far, as well as having the team leader in sacks having only six. Armstead is raw and, similarly to Dion Jordan, never seemed to reach his potential in Eugene. However, he is a versatile and supremely athletic force against both the run and the pass and Marinelli, a renowned line coach, should be able to get the most out of him.

28. Denver Broncos - Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota

There are a lot of questions as to whether star tight end Julius Thomas will return to the Broncos with him being a free agent. Compounding the money issues is Demaryious Thomas also being a free agent. Should the team not be able to bring back the former Thomas, look for them to utilize their first round pick on the talented Williams. This Golden Gopher has the skill-set you like from a tight end with his hands and athleticism.

29. Indianapolis Colts - Melvin Gordon, RB, WisconsinAndrew Luck has turned into a legitimate NFL star, and he continues to do without that much from his supporting cast and particularly without any sort of a rushing game. Even with the decreased importance of running backs in today's NFL, I would not be surprised if the Colts turned their first round pick into a running back. Gordon reminds some of either Chris Johnson (the early edition) or Jamaal Charles.

30. Green Bay Packers - Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi StateThe Packers battled inconsistent play from their linebackers in their 3-4 defense, even having to slide Clay Matthews to the middle to patch things up. They could use some playmaking abilities in the interior of the linebacking unit and a real thumper like McKinney could certainly be useful. The Clanga product will bring some youth and athleticism to the Packer defense.

31. Seattle Seahawks - Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma

Seattle does have some decent players at the receiver position, led by Doug Baldwin, but that said it is far from a dangerous unit. Green-Beckham comes with his fair share of risk as he has a number of off-field questions (getting kicked off the Missouri team was not a great sign), but with the amount of talent he has, it could be a worthwhile roll of the dice for a front office that has taken their risks on players before.

32. New England Patriots - Cameron Erving, C/G/T, Florida StateThe Super Bowl champions were able to find a lot of success last season even as their offensive line struggled at times. We know of the Patriots' fondness for versatile guys and this FSU product certainly fits that mantra as he played every position along the offensive line in Tallahassee. He performed much better when he played in the interior of the line but his athleticism could happen play just about anywhere.

what you said about OT peat I agree with and why the browns shouldn't draft him with the 12th pick. Not ready to play at next level, I guess he could back up schwartz. They have the same tape but schwartz's tape is against nfl players!